Cozy Book Reviews

Coming Soon: Chapter & Hearse by Lorna Barrett

2010-08-03T06:47:00.000-07:00

My next review will be of Chapter & Hearse by Lorna Barrett.
This book is now on shelves!

Roast Mortem by Cleo Coyle

2010-08-03T06:25:00.000-07:00

I normally review books in order, but I would like to make an exception for a very special title that hits shelves today.

I would also like to thank Alice Alfonsi, "Cleo Coyle" for sending me a review copy of this book. I can't express how excited I was to get a special sneak peek!

Click here to read my review of the first book in the series, On What Grounds.

Roast Mortem is the ninth book in the Coffeehouse Mystery series.

Things have been going well for Clare Cosi, manager of the Village Blend. She and her ex-husband, Matteo have become close friends who always have one another's backs. Their daughter is grown-up and maturing too. And to top it all off, Clare has a boyfriend, Detective Mike Quinn.

It looks like all is going smooth, until Clare and her ex-mother-in-law, Madame go to visit a friend in Queens.

Everyone is in the basement of Enzo Testa's Caffee Lucia when Clare goes upstairs to let in employee, Dante Silva. While she's gone the building bursts into flames.

Clare manages to get herself and Dante to safety, and fire fighters are able to rescue Madame and Enzo.

Madame seems to be fine after the ordeal, but her friend is in ICU. Madame feels guilty because Enzo saved her by moving her to an air vent, leaving himself vulnerable to the hot fumes. And as if that weren't enough to weigh on her conscience, she feels that none of them would have been in the building during the fire if she hadn't arrived an hour late.

Before the smoke clears Clare is already starting to suspect foul play. She believes the blaze was started by a bomb, and even wonders if Enzo himself could be responsible.

Clare continues to hunt for clues without the full permission of the Fire Marshal. In the process she meets Michael Quinn, Fire Captain and cousin to her boyfriend, Mike.

The two Quinn cousins don't like each other, and things only heat up more when Michael starts to flirt with Clare. She tries to avoid her boyfriend's cousin when he starts to tell stories about Mike, but Michael is Clare's best source of information.

It isn't long until several cafes around the city go up in flames, and fire fighters begin to die. Clare puts herself in the hot seat again as she goes on the hunt for clues.

Roast Mortem is the best Coffeehouse Mystery yet! I love how the characters become fuller as we learn more about them, especially Matteo. They become more real with each book.

Cleo's sleuthing kept me on the edge of my seat, and new information kept my list of suspects changing chapter after chapter.

Click here to buy this book.

A New Look

2010-08-03T04:20:00.000-07:00

As you've probably noticed, my layout has changed. The provider of my layout changed their code, altering my layout and misplacing image files. I am using this layout as a temporary solution, until I can fix everything. I am also missing my banners and counters. I will try and fix this somehow.

- Angeline

Murder Uncorked By Michele Scott

2010-07-14T16:46:00.000-07:00

Murder Uncorked is the first book in the Wine Lover's Mystery series.

Nikki Sands is a struggling actress, and a less than talented one too, but Nikki seems to have found her niche in the wine business. The only problem is, she is at the lower end of the business... serving it.

Miss Sands is having a rough day at work. She manages to get into an altercation with a handsome customer's date and looses her job.

Things don't look like they can get much worse for Nikki. She decides she would rather stop and have a little wine before heading home. After all, nothing pares worse with misery than loneliness.

To Nikki's surprise, she is followed by the handsome customer, and this time his cruel girlfriend isn't in tow. He introduces himself as Derek Malveaux, and tells Nikki he is impressed with her knowledge of wine. He then explains that the ill tempered woman at the other restaurant isn't his girlfriend, but the relative of a possible business associate.

Miss Sands and Derek continue their evening dining with wine pairings selected by Nikki. Derek then asks Nikki to consider taking a job at his prestigious Napa Valley vineyard.

Things seem to really be turning around for Nikki. She has a job offer that involves some of Napa Valley's best wine, and a very attractive and wealthy man.

Unfortunately, things take another turn for the worse as soon as Nikki arrives at Malveaux Estates. She finds the vineyard's talented winemaker, Gabriel dead just outside her guest cottage.

Nikki decides to take things slow and not jump to any hasty decisions, but it isn't long before she begins jumping to conclusions and pawing around for clues. This doesn't set well with some of the locals, including Derek's family members who live in the "Nut House" at Malveaux Estates.

This book was highly engaging and fast paced. The only thing that kept me from polishing it off within a few days was a hectic schedule of Summer activities.

The lengths that Nikki went to, and the decisions she made were not ones that I agreed with, but that added to the mystery and suspense of this book. It was like following the day-to-day life of someone with nothing left to loose.

Murder Uncorked is wine based with tid-bits of cooking and coffee tossed in. Don't let a lack of interest in wine keep you from reading this book. I think you will find that there is more to it than Zinfandel and Chardonnay, yet it would be a lot of fun for wine lovers too.

Click here to buy this book.

Mystery Lovers Bookshop

2010-06-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

I have been asked to take part in an affiliate program with Mystery Lovers Bookshop.

Mystery Lovers Bookshop is located in Oakmont, Pennsylvania.

They have been open since 1990, and are one of the largest specialty mystery bookstores in the country.

They also offer free shipping.

I will be adding links to my book reviews tomorrow,

which will direct you to the Mystery Lovers Bookshop website.

I will receive 10% of any sell, within 30 days, resulting from a customer clicking the link on my review.

Update

2010-06-15T06:21:00.000-07:00

I thought I would take a minute to write an update.

I've been very busy with Summer activities, but I've also been reading.

My next review will be of Murder Uncorked by Michele Scott.

Also, my number of subscribers increase each day.

Be sure to subscribe for a chance to win!

It's as easy as one click, and you can even subscribe using your Facebook account!

- Angeline

Click here to buy this book.

Carbon Neutral

2010-06-11T20:27:00.001-07:00

The "My Blog is Carbon Neutral" program began in Germany,

with the goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

A tree is planted for every blog that features this logo,

thereby neutralizing that blog's carbon footprint

for the next 50 years!

Click here to learn more!

Giveaway!!!

2010-06-10T05:15:00.000-07:00

I've decided to host a giveaway!

I will send a prize to one of my first fifty subscribers.

All you have to do is subscribe using the following blog reader of your choice...

Google

twitter

Yahoo!

AIM

Net Log

OpenID

NetworkedBlogs (Facebook)

... by clicking on one over there. --->

When I have received fifty subscriptions I will choose a winner at random.

If I receive an influx of subscribers, I'll increase the number of winners!

I haven't went shopping for the prize yet, but will update when I do.

Feel free to share this with your friends.

Thanks & Good Luck!

Murder is Binding by Lorna Barrett

2010-06-07T02:02:00.000-07:00

Murder is Binding is the first book in the Booktown Mystery series. The author of this series is Lorna Barrett, also known as Lorraine Bartlett or L.L. Bartlett.

Newly divorced Tricia Miles moves to Stoneham, New Hampshire to open a Mystery book store.

Stoneham is a small town that's just had a face-lift, thanks to real estate mogul, Bob Kelly. His plan is to revitalize the burg's economy by having book sellers move their stores to the town's main street, much like the Welsh village of Hay-on-Wye.

So far, things are going well for Tricia. She and her cat, Miss Marple share an attractive store and loft. Tricia has renovated the outside of her business to resemble the home of detective Sherlock Holmes. Even her address is similar to that of the famous dwelling. Her's being 221, and Holmes' being 221B.

Tricia is making ends meet and living a quiet life. That is, with the exception of a few rants from fellow bookstore owner, Doris Gleason of the Cookery.

One evening, Doris storms into Tricia's store, Haven't Got a Clue. She's up-in-arms over Bob Kelly's proposed rent increase. Doris declares that she will have to close her cookbook store if her expenses go up.

Ms. Gleason plans to meet Kelly that evening to discuss the terms of her lease renewal, but by the time Bob Kelly arrives at Doris's store, Tricia has already found her dead.

Tricia suspects Bob as Doris's killer, but the local Sheriff, Wendy Adams intends to see Tricia "rot in jail" for Doris's murder.

Tricia sets out to find the killer before she looses her business and her freedom, but her snooping lands her in some dangerous situations.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It had me staying awake until well into the morning. Each chapter left me wanting to find out what happened next.

The town of Stoneham reminds me of Staunton, Virginia, with it's historic architecture and bustling downtown streets. It was a lot of fun to read a book that took me back to a familiar city.

Click here to buy this book.

A Killer Plot by Ellery Adams

2010-06-03T01:37:00.000-07:00

A Killer Plot is the first book in the Books By the Bay Mystery series.

Writer, Olivia Limoges returns to her childhood home of Oyster Bay, North Carolina. A lot has changed since she left, but the pain she suffered there so long ago still remains.

Olivia is a private person who prefers the companionship of her Standard Poodle, Captain Haviland, to that of other people. That all begins to change when she meets suave and handsome Camden Ford, who convinces her to join his writer's group, The Bayside Writers.

Olivia, being a wealthy business owner (as well as a book lover) soon decides to fix-up the lighthouse cottage on her property, as a meeting place for the writer's group. Doing so, she is forced to face painful memories that have been locked away for decades inside her parent's home.

Just as Olivia begins to connect with those around her, one of her new found friends is discovered murdered in the alley behind a bar, with a haiku poem spray painted on the brick behind him.

Olivia has to wonder if he was killed because of the information he was gathering for his gossip book.

Ms. Limoges then enlists the other writers to help solve their fellow author's murder.

Each haiku poem features a different season, and as each season unfolds, Olivia and her friends wonder who's next.

This book offers a cast of spunky and easy-to-like characters. Everyone from Dixie, a dwarf waitress on roller skates, to Sawyer Rawlings, a well-read Police Chief, make the spotlight all their own.

This book is chocked full of home-spun and edgy phrases, without being offensive or in any way over-done. It's more like a refreshing and comical conversation you would have with a witty grandmother.

Oh, and I can't forget to mention how much I enjoyed the main character having a K9 sidekick!

This series has a lot of room left to grow... a long and exciting life ahead of it. I can't wait to savor its next volume.

Click here to buy this book.

A Killer Plot... Coming Soon!

2010-06-01T13:35:00.000-07:00

I am currently reading A Killer Plot by Ellery Adams.

I will be writing a review for this book in the near future.

I'm really enjoying it, and I'm sure you will too!

Click here to buy this book.

A Bone to Pick by Charlaine Harris

2010-05-27T18:54:00.000-07:00

A Bone to Pick is the second book in the Aurora Teagarden Mystery series.

Aurora's life has returned to normal since her encounter with a pair of killers, in Real Murders.

Unfortunately, a return to the ordinary leaves Roe feeling lonely and forgotten. Her feelings are only heightened by her friend's recent nuptials, her mother's wedding, and her former lover's new marriage.

Weddings aren't the only thing on Ms. Teagarden's agenda. Sadly, she must attend the funeral of a fellow Real Murders club member, Jane Engle.

At the end of Jane's burial, Aurora is approached by Southern lawyer, Bubba Sewell. It seems that Aurora has been named beneficiary of Jane's estate... a sizable sum of money, jewelry, and a house.

Aurora is puzzled as to why Jane Engle would leave her, of all people, her estate. After all, they weren't close friends; only acquaintances. And as Aurora knows, it won't be long until everyone in town will be asking that same question.

When Aurora takes possession of Jane's house her new house, she discovers that it has been broken into. Like so many other broken-into-homes in the neighborhood, nothing is missing. Apart from a broken window, the only other evidence of the intrusion is neat piles of items removed from closets and cabinets, stab holes in these areas, and a few holes in the back yard.

Roe begins to wonder, what was the burglar looking for? Is it hidden in this house?

Aurora tries to settle in and think things through, but her inquisitive nature takes over. Bubba Sewell's words, "I have no idea what's in Miss Engle's house." and "...whatever is in this house is yours to deal with however you see fit." keep haunting Roe. It isn't long until she's peeling up carpet. That's when she makes her ghastly discovery... a skull in a window seat!

As Aurora tries to calm her nerves and keep her new secret hidden, a small piece of relief drops from the pages of one of Jane's favorite books... a simple note from Jane stating that she didn't do it.

As Aurora gets to know her new neighbors, she realizes that there are several possible identities for the skull she has found. Roe learns that Carey Osland's husband, Mike left to run a household errand and never returned. Macon Turner's son disappeared on a sudden trip. And Mark Kaplan, a neighborhood renter suddenly ducked-out without any warning.

How will Aurora Teagarden keep herself safe from her dangerous neighbor, when she doesn't even know which one is a killer?

This book deviated from the normal murder Mystery, in the fact that no one was actually killed during the span of the story. I have to say, as demented as it sounds, that was a little disappointing for me.

I enjoyed seeing Aurora make a few life changes in this book. It was refreshing to see her update her look and lifestyle. Harris allowed Roe to grow without compromising the integral parts of her personality.

Click here to buy this book.

The Skeleton in the Closet by M.C. Beaton

2010-05-26T16:59:00.000-07:00

The Skeleton in the Closet is the first book in the Fellworth Dolphin series. It was released in paperback on March 15, 2002. I am unsure whether M.C. Beaton has plans to continue this series. Fellworth Dolphin is a shy, sensitive, and lanky "boy", who lives in Buss, England with his domineering and aged mother. Before the death of his father, Fellworth was forced to quit attending University to support his parents. Now Fellworth is a thirty-eight year old virgin, who isn't allowed to drive a car or have a key to his own house. One evening, Dolphin comes home from his job, waiting tables at the local hotel, to find his mother dead in her easy-chair. Suddenly, Fellworth feels free for the first time in his life. It isn't long until Dolphin discovers that he has been left a considerably large sum of money, including a box of cash in his father's desk. He begins to feel angry and used! All the resentment he has stifled for so long comes flooding in. Fellworth could have kept attending University. He could have moved out on his own. He could have found love! Fellworth's aunt, Agnes shows up to take care of him. In a desperate attempt to avoid being taken captive again, Fellworth composes a story. He tells his aunt that he won't be needing her assistance, because he is engaged to his co-worker, Maggie Partlett. After explaining the fake engagement to Maggie, she moves into Fellworth's home. It turns out that they share a similar upbringing. Things are going well for the roommates. They are finally free and financially independent. The pair then begin redecorating the house and talking about opening their own bookstore. Unfortunately, this care-free lifestyle is short lived. A man named Andy Briggs shows up insinuating that Fellworth's father, a railway signalman, was involved in an Post Office train robbery. Could it be true? Is that where all the money came from? Is that why his parents lived so skimpily? And who are the people in those photos Fellworth found in his mother's room? Fellworth and Maggie set off on a voyage of mystery, adventure, and possibly... romance. But things turn sour again when a story is posted in the newspaper about their search for answers. Fellworth's home is vandalized and he is the target of a wily assassin. As time goes on, a new woman enters Fellworth's life. But Maggie doesn't trust Melissa. Is that because she is jealous? Or is Melissa as deceitful as she seems? This book is my favorite by M.C. Beaton. Her characters are so dynamic, it's almost as if you could peel them from the pages. As the chapters advance the plot gets thicker and thicker, with ever increasing twist and turn. I would love to see Beaton add another book to this series!

Click here to buy this book.

On What Grounds by Cleo Coyle

2010-05-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

On What Grounds is the first book in the Coffeehouse Mystery series.

Cleo Coyle is the pseudonym for Alice Alfonsi and her husband, Marc Cerasini. She also writes as Alice Kimberley.

Clare Cosi is a single mother who has made some changes for the benefit of her daughter, Joy. Clare traded New York City for a small New Jersey town. She traded her job as a coffeehouse manager for one working on magazines.

Clare's ex-mother-in-law, Madame has never accepted the divorce of Clare and her son as final. So, in an attempt to get Matteo and Clare back together, she offers Clare her old position as manager of The Village Blend. Matteo is The Blend's coffee buyer.

Joy is grown up now, so Clare decides to accept Madame's offer. The fact that the job includes a fully furnished luxury apartment, above the coffeehouse, doesn't hurt either.

Everything is going well until Cosi finds her assistant manager dead inside the coffeehouse.

A handsome detective and his crew arrive to investigate, but Clare is told it doesn't appear that anyone broke into The Village Blend. Still, she can't convince herself that the death was an accident. Too many things just seem out of place, including the garbage can.

Looks like Clare and Matteo are going to have to team-up as amateur sleuths, and maybe Madame will turn out to be a pretty good match-maker.

This book is a great pick for anyone who loves coffee and java culture. I do have to say, I'm not sure whether or not this series would be as enjoyable for the decaffeinated crowd.

I enjoy how this series shows a real passion for coffee and espresso. The terminology is informative and interesting. Also, the recipes in the back of each book is a nice touch.

Click here to buy this book.

Thank You

2010-05-21T08:04:00.000-07:00

I want to thank all of my subscribers.

I hope all of you are enjoying my reviews.

I deeply appreciate each and every single one of you.

Books are the windows through which the soul looks out.

A home without books is like a room without windows. ~ Henry Ward Beecher.

A Tisket, a Tasket, a Fancy Stolen Casket by Fran Rizer

2010-05-20T16:39:00.003-07:00

A Tisket, a Tasket, a Fancy Stolen Casket is the first book in the

Callie Parrish Mystery series.

Calamine "Callie" Parrish seems to be drawn to the darker side of life. Her two biggest interests are Mystery novels and the TV show, Six Feet Under.

Did I mention that Callie is a cosmetologist? ... a Mortuary Cosmetologist!

When flamboyant Used Car Salesman, Bobby Saxon is found floating in a swimming pool, everyone just assumes that his womanizing and heavy drinking have finally caught-up with him. That is until Callie begins prepping him for burial, and finds a piece of hypodermic needle embedded in his neck.

Looks like ol' Bobby will have to make another trip to the Coroner.

In the meantime, someone breaks into the mortuary and steals the cowboy car salesman's fancy casket, knocking Callie unconscious in the process.

It isn't long until there is another body found in Middletown, South Carolina. Local bar owner, June Bug Corley is shot in his own parking lot.

Soon Callie Parrish begins receiving threatening phone calls and unwanted "visitors". She had better find out who's killing Middletown's well known townsmen before she becomes the next victim.

This book's characters are as colorful as its cover! I love the fresh viewpoint we receive from Callie. Her career offers a seldom seen view of life in the mortuary business, without being graphic or disturbing. She's just your typical single lady doing what she has to do... working the 9 to 5, with a few tantalizing mysteries along the way.

Click here to buy this book.

I want your input! What book do you want me to review?

2010-05-16T02:23:00.000-07:00

What Book Do You Want Reviewed?

I want your input!

I will now be taking requests for reviews.

Have a book you want reviewed?

It's easy!

Step 1 - Click "Follow" in the sidebar.

Step 2 - Comment on this post with the Title and Author of the book you want me to
review!

That's it! It's that easy!

I will start posting the reviews you want as soon as you make the requests!

Antiques Roadkill by Barbara Allan

2010-05-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

Antiques Roadkill is the first book in the Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery series.

Trash 'n' Treasures Mysteries are a husband and wife effort by Barbara Collins (Too Many Tomcats) and Max Allan Collins (True Detective & You Can't Stop Me).

Newly divorced Brandy Borne finds herself financially challenged, and is forced to move to Serenity, Mississippi. As if that isn't stressful enough, Brandy will now be sharing a home with her aging and capricious stage-actor mother, Vivian.

The Borne "girls" begin their dangerous adventures when Brandy discovers that her mother has sold their furniture to Clint Carson, a less than ethical antiques dealer.

Brandy and Vivian set out to find their precious family heirlooms and find a hit-and-run victim instead... the body of Carson. Now all fingers are pointed at Brandy.

When the Borne girls set out to prove themselves innocent, they uncover some secrets that someone in Serenity want to keep buried. Now secrets aren't the only thing in danger of being kept quiet, as Vivian and Brandy have to fight for their lives, as well as their belongings.

Barbara and Max Allan Collins do a wonderful job of showcasing Brandy and Vivian's mother and daughter dynamic. The Borne girls are larger-than-life characters that jump off the page. They are sure to remind you of a relationship in your own life.

Antiques Roadkill has a little something for everyone... family bond, romance, theatrics, mystery, suspense, and even high-end fashion. These are all blended seamlessly and in just the right measure, to please all readers.

Other books in the Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery series include: Antiques Maul, Antiques Flee Market, and Antiques Bizarre.

Click here to buy this book.

Real Murders by Charlaine Harris

2010-05-14T04:46:00.000-07:00

Real Murders is the first book in the Aurora Teagarden series.

Aurora "Roe" Teagarden thinks she knows everyone in her quiet town of Lawrenceton, Georgia.
Life seems less than exciting for the twenty-eight year old librarian.

Roe's only source of excitement is attending meetings at her local VFW,
where they discuss old homicides.
That is until someone turns up dead at Real Murders.
Soon it's hard to tell the "Real Murderers" (group members) from the real murderer, and even harder to tell who the next victim will be.

Real Murders is a fast paced link between fiction and true crime.
Aurora is a heroine more capable than even she knows.

This page turning novel kept me guessing who the killer was right up until the end.
Real Murders will keep even the most avid Mystery reader guessing.

Other books in the Aurora Teagarden series include:
A Bone to Pick, Three Bedrooms, One Corpse, The Julius House, Dead Over Heels,
A Fool and His Honey, Last Scene Alive, and Poppy Done to Death.

Click here to buy this book.

Magnolias, Moonlight, and Murder by Sara Rosett

2010-05-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

Magnolias, Moonlight, and Murder
is the fourth book in the Ellie Avery Mystery series,
formerly a Mom Zone Mystery.

Ellie Avery, a mother of two, Air Force wife, and struggling professional organizer, moves to the seemingly peaceful town of North Dawkins, Georgia. Ellie expects to meet new people and deal with the rigors of moving, but she soon realizes that unpacking is the least of her worries.

When Ellie discovers two unearthed bodies in a deserted cemetery, she is drawn into a decades old crime, and soon finds that someone is willing to do anything to keep her from finding out this small town's big secrets.

Sara Rosett blends the old South and a hectic modern life

to form a book that will keep you guessing.

Rosett also writes her series so that you can read these books in any order.
New comers can jump right in and feel at home,
while veterans of the series won't feel bogged down with old details.

Other books in the Ellie Avery Series include:
Moving is Murder, Staying Home is Killer, Getting Away is Deadly,
and April release Mint Juleps, Mayhem, and Murder.

Click here to buy this book.